Congo Day of Prayer

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Saturday, December 22

As a congregation we are invited to pray and fast in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Congo (DRC) on the eve of their national elections. Please pray that the elections will be peaceful, fair, and just and that God would raise up godly leaders who would do what is right. We would like to have people signed up to pray every hour on December 22.

Sign up here to pray.

Items for prayer:

  • Pray for the presidential election on Dec. 23.  Pray that it would be peaceful and fair. 

  • Pray that leaders would emerge who will serve the people of Congo and not their own greed or power. Read this news link.

  • Pray for political, social, and economic stability throughout the country.

  • Pray for the Ebola crisis to be contained quickly and for protection for the health workers.  Read this news link.

  • Pray for continued violence particularly against the most vulnerable in Beni and neighboring town of Oicha (David Kasali’s hometown). Read this news link.

  • Pray for UCBC’s “City Campus” project - UCBC has moved the campus into Beni to provide a secure environment for their students. School officially began on November 26 with only a 10% decrease in enrollment.

  • Pray for the students at UCBC, for their safety and pray that they would have a Kingdom impact on Beni.

  • Pray for the Bethesda Counseling Center as they provide counseling for health workers and others who are victims of trauma. Pray for Noe Kasali as he leads this ministry while being dislocated in Uganda.

Advent in the Home: Developing Family Traditions

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Blacknall held an event last year for families to share simple Advent traditions they had incorporated into their family life. A key tip was to hold it loosely – it’s ok if you miss a day! – and to make it a part of your daily rhythm. Reading a devotion after dinner, opening the Advent Calendar door, or lighting a candle are all ways to signal the season of Advent as we head towards the mystery of Christmas.

Below are ideas to get you started. Consider picking one or two that might fold easily into your life.

Advent Calendar

  • DIY – Paper or muslin bags can be filled with small tokens or activities (ex. Go to Carols and Cocoa, Write a thank you note, Sing a hymn after dinner). The bags can be taped to the wall or strung up with string and clothespins.

  • Buy – A re-usable or paper calendar can provide a way for children to interact daily with the season.

Advent Books

  • DIY – Consider giving a daily book about Christmas. These don’t have to be new! Check them out from your local library (or Blacknall’s library – view a list of great suggestions here) and wrap them up in fabric, recycled grocery bags, or inexpensive paper from the Scrap Exchange.

  • Buy – Some families purchase books and re-use the same ones each year. If you do want to purchase books, here are a few recommendations.

Advent Prayer Guide

  • “Teach Us to Pray: Scripture-Centered Family Worship through the Year” put out by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. The Advent section is available for free download.

Advent Prophecy Chain

Advent Wreath 

Jesus Storybook Advent Printables

Jesse Tree – ornaments and templates can be found online.

  • DIY

    • Make a tree out of construction paper and tape it up on the wall. Children can color ornaments and hang them up daily (you can find printable ornaments online).

    • DIY ornaments for the tree.

    •  If you’re crafty, Blacknall often has a group that does a Jesse tree ornament exchange in November.

    • Forage for a small tree branch, place in a vase, and hang your Jesse tree ornaments from it.

  • Buy – There are many great ornament kits, especially on Etsy, although they can get quite expensive. Here are a few:

Advent Wreath Workshop

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Sunday, December 2, 4-6 p.m. | Community Room

Register here

This year we will assemble the wreaths in one-hour shifts. Bring $15.00 for your kit (candles, oasis wreath ring, etc) and a cookie sheet to transport your wreath. Cash or check made out to BMPC is fine. If you have access to greenery or holly berries, bring some in bag to use and share.  Clippers are helpful. This is an event for all ages and stages.